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This week on A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio welcomes Anna Boiardi of the infamous Chef Boyardee empire. Anna is the granddaughter of Mario Boiardi, a man who along with his two brothers (including the chef himself, Hector Boiardi) launched a canned pasta empire that now pumps out 2.5 million cans of pasta a day. Anna gives Linda the story behind how the family business came to be, including the first supermarket to sell the Chef Boyardee sauce. Between timing, great product, and a little bit of luck, Anna’s family was shot into the food stratosphere and even contributed to the wartime effort, providing food for soldiers’ rations in World War II. After the break, Linda chats with Anna about her book “Delicious Memories: Recipes and Stories from the Chef Boyardee Family,” and she divulges that it was important to include the family stories and recipes as a way to preserve her rich family history. This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery.

“They were really introducing customers to Italian food. At the time, people didn’t even know the proper way to cook pasta.” [6:00]